Temp controllers...

[Beentown]

Thinking about getting a temp controller for my UDS. Strictly for overnight cooks as my barrel cookers hold temp well for most cooks. I would also like to do some daytime cooks while I am at work and I am thinking one could come in handy.

Any negatives on the IQ110? Do they run a special on them ever? Just hate spending $160 on something I may use three or four times a year.

 

[darkoozy]

I highly recommend going with bbq guru.

I had the IQ and did not like it. Its way too basic for me, and never liked the hose connection to the smoker. Just a preference...

The best money I ever spent. I trust it so much now, I dont even look at my Maverick for atleast 12 hours on a long cook, and can get some sleep on long cooks.

Good luck on your decisions.

 

[Fwismoker]

I got the 110...hind sight i'm not sure i would do it again but at the time i was doing more over night cooks. It works great and have no problem whatsoever with it.... i did ask them for a 3/4" adapter because it just screws onto a ball valve which is nice.

For 140 bucks and a simple ATC you can't go wrong imo.

Drums hold temp so good anyways you can go with out it's more of peace of mind knowing it's keeping a steady temp I suppose.

 

[deerslayer8153]

I have the BBQ Guru on my UDS and I LOVE it!

I'd get another in a heartbeat if something happened to mine.

Use the minion method to start your fire then set and forget!

 

[BBQLew]

Have been thinking about picking up a control unit for my UDS as well, have had my eye on the PartyQ, will be keeping an eye on this thread...

 

[Smokeotic1]

I run IQ 110's on my WSM and it works great,also run maverick with it just for a visual I guess.The 120 IQ is digital and has a food probe,fan speed adjustments and alarms,It's closer to a guru but costs about 40 to 50 bucks more than the IQ110.I would recommend a IQ120 or guru just because you can bypass the maverick and save that 60 bucks.

 

[Fwismoker]

I run IQ 110's on my WSM and it works great,also run maverick with it just for a visual I guess.The 120 IQ is digital and has a food probe,fan speed adjustments and alarms,It's closer to a guru but costs about 40 to 50 bucks more than the IQ110.I would recommend a IQ120 or guru just because you can bypass the maverick and save that 60 bucks.

You won't always use your controller(at least i hope not) so it's nice having the Maverick just for a therm.

 

[SuburbSlicker]

I bought the IQ110 around Christmas via Amazon and I like it. You can read my review on that site. My only issue so far (yeah, it's basic, I knew that going in) is that it was struggling keep temp in my WSM 22.5 when it was punishingly cold outside. I knew I wasn't getting industrial strength, but I did have to go check it more often than I'd like, and tweak it more often.

If you're playing with some overnight cooks on a UDS and don't want to jump fully into the high cost of the Guru, give the 110 a try, I'd recommend. At least then you'll know how much you use an ATC and whether you like it, find it convenient, etc., before you make a bigger investment.

 

[dae06]

My IQ110

I've had my IQ110 for a year now. I keep it in a waterproof rubbermaid during cooks and indoors when not in use. I have already gone through 2 temp probes at $20.00 a piece. Barb at Pitmaster told me to send in the probes for testing. I assumed they would replace them if they tested bad. She got back to me to let me know they were bad and I can purchase new ones from their site for $20.00 a peice.
This upsets me a bit. I wouldn't have gone through all the time, effort and expense to send in the bad probes if I knew there weren't going to replace them. This will get expensive if I have to keep replacing 2 a year.

BTW, A Maverick thermometer is a necessity with this IQ110 if you are going to do overnight cooks (and want some sleep). The Mavericks temp alarm will alert you if the temp gets out of range, which it will occasionally.

 

[Beentown]

I have done two cooks with it and it kept my temps crazy perfect. We will see how the longevity tests out but so far I am impressed.

 

[tgstrang]

I've had my IQ110 for a year now. I keep it in a waterproof rubbermaid during cooks and indoors when not in use. I have already gone through 2 temp probes at $20.00 a piece. Barb at Pitmaster told me to send in the probes for testing. I assumed they would replace them if they tested bad. She got back to me to let me know they were bad and I can purchase new ones from their site for $20.00 a peice.
This upsets me a bit. I wouldn't have gone through all the time, effort and expense to send in the bad probes if I knew there weren't going to replace them. This will get expensive if I have to keep replacing 2 a year.

BTW, A Maverick thermometer is a necessity with this IQ110 if you are going to do overnight cooks (and want some sleep). The Mavericks temp alarm will alert you if the temp gets out of range, which it will occasionally.

I have a 110 also, I looked into other controllers but when looking at the IQ I realized "Fark, these guys are literally .3 miles from my house." So the need for instant gratification kicked in and 5 minutes later I had bought one. I've met Barb several times and she is very nice, I've even been in the back and seen where they make them, etc. Saw first hand when they were in production of the 120 and it was all pretty cool. My only issue is that I bought one for my Dad in August of 2013 and he absolutely loved the thing. This year at Thanksgiving we were using it on his BGE and it just quit working. He doesn't Que as often as me and really only uses the IQ on longer cooks. This was literally the 3rd time he'd ever used it. I put it in my suitcase and flew home with it and one day after work took it up there and Barb checked it out. Turned out everything was in working order except for the cheap little power cord was bad. I assumed since I'd only had it a few months and that those things probably run them a few bucks that I would have just been given a new one...nope was charged $10-$15 (can't remember exactly). That kind of came off as not the best customer service to me...especially since I've met them a few times and bought a few units from them. Maybe that just me, but I own my own business and I know that I would have not charged somebody for that.

 

[dae06]

I have a 110 also, I looked into other controllers but when looking at the IQ I realized "Fark, these guys are literally .3 miles from my house." So the need for instant gratification kicked in and 5 minutes later I had bought one. I've met Barb several times and she is very nice, I've even been in the back and seen where they make them, etc. Saw first hand when they were in production of the 120 and it was all pretty cool. My only issue is that I bought one for my Dad in August of 2013 and he absolutely loved the thing. This year at Thanksgiving we were using it on his BGE and it just quit working. He doesn't Que as often as me and really only uses the IQ on longer cooks. This was literally the 3rd time he'd ever used it. I put it in my suitcase and flew home with it and one day after work took it up there and Barb checked it out. Turned out everything was in working order except for the cheap little power cord was bad. I assumed since I'd only had it a few months and that those things probably run them a few bucks that I would have just been given a new one...nope was charged $10-$15 (can't remember exactly). That kind of came off as not the best customer service to me...especially since I've met them a few times and bought a few units from them. Maybe that just me, but I own my own business and I know that I would have not charged somebody for that.

I agree. It just seems bad for business not to replace parts that go bad and make the consumer buy more probes due to faulty parts (which they are making a profit on) . My first one went out 3 months after I bought it and the second probe I got last Fall and didn't use it until 2 months ago and went bad. So both were ~3 months old or newer. I wouldn't expect anything if it was an older unit, but I now have $179.00 invested in the unit and need to spend another $20.00 for a 3rd probe ($199.00). It's only a year old!!! :evil:

 

[Bbq_lover]

I've had my IQ 110 for a few years now and love it. I have done a ton of overnight cooks on it and no problems. I have mine set up with a UDS. It helps to have at least one other valve open as temp comes up. Once temp hits, shut down the extra valve and the controller never has an issue. I bought an extra probe and have not had to use it yet. I also used to have another thermometer in the pit just to tell temp, but stopped doing that because I trust the iq. It's just my experience, and it sounds like everyone has had some different ones. Hope it helps!!

 

[ajstrider]

I have a DigiQ and a PartyQ. I have zero experience with the IQ. I tend to recommend the PartyQ for this type of stuff. I use rechargeable batteries and put a fresh set in before each cook and it works great. No meat temperature nonsense, just a simple and effective temperature controller for overnight cooks if you feel like you need it. The DigiQ works just as good and has a few more features on it but costs a bit more. I haven't had a probe go bad in the three years or so that I have had them. But I do have a spare just in case.

 

[THoey1963]

I've had my WSM for two months and my IQ120 for about three weeks. It works great and is easy to use. I won't use it for every cook, but if I need sleep or to run a short errand, I'd rather have it babysitting the fire for me.

 

[tubby384]

I currently use an IQ110 I bought used from another member and I actually like the simplicity of it. I have all the controllers and this one has not failed yet. The guru's has always been my goto and that unit has never failed since owning it for over ten years. Both units have worked rock solid and would not hesitate to buy either again.

 

[Theboz1419]

Heatermeter all the way for an UDS. Version 4.1 uses K - probes and j - probes, adjustable servo control(optional), any size blower upto around 35cfm, alarm(buzzer, email, sms) 3 meat probes, one pit probe, make adjustments to any setting via online Web page, optional wireless probes and cat5 extension of probes, 3d printed cases available.

The HM is fairly easy to put together, and is pretty cheap compared to all other temp controllers. Boards and components are about 50 and Raspberry pi about 35, if you have maverick probes then they would work fine. Wifi 12 bucks, that would get ya started.

 

[jeffreywp1]

Would one of these work on an offset stick burner? Has anyone tried?